diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 349eb675e5..8cf50dc52c 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -384,22 +384,27 @@ void Application::setXwaylandScale(qreal scale)
     Q_ASSERT(scale != 0);
     if (scale != m_xwaylandScale) {
         m_xwaylandScale = scale;
-        KConfig cfg(QStringLiteral("kdeglobals"));
-        KConfigGroup kscreenGroup = cfg.group("KScreen");
-        const bool xwaylandClientsScale = kscreenGroup.readEntry("XwaylandClientsScale", true);
-        if (xwaylandClientsScale) {
-            kwinApp()->config()->group("Xwayland").writeEntry("Scale", m_xwaylandScale, KConfig::Notify);
-        } else {
-            kwinApp()->config()->group("Xwayland").deleteEntry("Scale", KConfig::Notify);
-        }
-        if (x11Connection()) {
-            // rerun the fonts kcm init that does the appropriate xrdb call with the new settings
-            QProcess::startDetached("kcminit", {"kcm_fonts", "kcm_style"});
-        }
+        applyXwaylandScale();
         Q_EMIT xwaylandScaleChanged();
     }
 }
 
+void Application::applyXwaylandScale()
+{
+    KConfig cfg(QStringLiteral("kdeglobals"));
+    KConfigGroup kscreenGroup = cfg.group("KScreen");
+    const bool xwaylandClientsScale = kscreenGroup.readEntry("XwaylandClientsScale", true);
+    if (xwaylandClientsScale) {
+        kwinApp()->config()->group("Xwayland").writeEntry("Scale", m_xwaylandScale, KConfig::Notify);
+    } else {
+        kwinApp()->config()->group("Xwayland").deleteEntry("Scale", KConfig::Notify);
+    }
+    if (x11Connection()) {
+        // rerun the fonts kcm init that does the appropriate xrdb call with the new settings
+        QProcess::startDetached("kcminit", {"kcm_fonts", "kcm_style"});
+    }
+}
+
 void Application::unregisterEventFilter(X11EventFilter *filter)
 {
     X11EventFilterContainer *container = nullptr;
diff --git a/src/main.h b/src/main.h
index 19b9998d37..abc211354c 100644
--- a/src/main.h
+++ b/src/main.h
@@ -360,6 +360,7 @@ protected:
     void destroyColorManager();
     void destroyInputMethod();
     void destroyPlatform();
+    void applyXwaylandScale();
 
     void setTerminating()
     {
diff --git a/src/main_wayland.cpp b/src/main_wayland.cpp
index c844a44c63..500107b802 100644
--- a/src/main_wayland.cpp
+++ b/src/main_wayland.cpp
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@ void ApplicationWayland::continueStartupWithScene()
         m_xwayland->xwaylandLauncher()->setDisplayName(m_xwaylandDisplay);
         m_xwayland->xwaylandLauncher()->setXauthority(m_xwaylandXauthority);
         m_xwayland->init();
+        connect(m_xwayland.get(), &Xwl::Xwayland::started, this, &ApplicationWayland::applyXwaylandScale);
     }
     startSession();
     notifyStarted();